Monday, December 23, 2013

Repression in the UAE

This is just one story of many. Nevertheless, it encapsulates a profoundly important truth. Whether in Iran or the Sunni Arab Kingdoms, repression remains a very real fact of life for the average citizen. While human rights are the most obvious concern in face of these social restrictions, political stability is another deeply relevant issue. Relevant, because the lesson of recent history is clear - until states respect the rights of their citizens, they'll fail to achieve a lasting stability. In fact, they'll make stability even more distant. Faced with major demographic challenges (young populations that demand jobs and greater opportunity), continued repression only delegitimates the very power structures that it aims to protect. Sadly, the lessons of the Arab Spring continue to be ignored. In my opinion, extremists are the ones most likely (see point 5) to benefit from bad governance.